The Right Use of Practical Reason: Greek Philosophy & the Physical Body

I was just reading in Michel Foucault's Use of Pleasure: History of Sexuality Volume II how the Greek philosophical tradition placed an extreme importance on physical conditioning as part of 'training' for public political leadership. In the tradition of Socrates, according to Foucault (and as I learned at the University of Notre Dame in a doctoral seminar in "Christian Asceticism"), the budding politician would learn how to best lead not only through reading the classics, but also through concrete physical conditioning that trained the body in the very Virtue of leadership that one needed to rule with.

As I read this section of Foucault, I could not help but reflect upon my own 'ascetic training' regimen that has prepared me to lead in various walks of life. Whether it was physical training for playing College Football (I-AA Davidson College) OR later in the military during army endurance courses, the way that our bodies were trained was also intended to make us 'fit to command.'

Granted, intellectual gifts are also needed to serve as an excellent political leader (otherwise, we would just let our Olympic gold medalists run the entire country! :-), and so such athletic training can only be a training in Virtue in order to more effectively lead.

Does one learn how to "hold one's position" either as a defensive end allowing the linebacker to make the tackle OR as a State Senator allowing the President to pass vitally important funding, say for Relief efforts to Africa?

Does one learn to "work as a team" such as a unified Offensive Line in order to protect the quarterback (e.g. the U.S.F. Bulls, the new 'Cinderella story' of college football) OR as a unified campaign to get someone elected as President?

Does one learn to "lean on another's expertise" such as a quarterback trusting his Offensive Center's blocking technique to manhandle the 300 pound nose guard OR as the Candidate leaning on the research skills of his staff in order to demolish an opposing candidate in a public debate?

ALL of these skills are to be learned both mentally and physically according to the Ancient Greek Socratic tradition that emphasized a type of asceticism in order to lead.

Love in Jesus,
Rob J. King, Christian Ascetic for Jesus Christ's Kingdom Rule